UNNAMED TODDLER BOY - 18 months (7/2014)/ Charged: Mother; Michelle King - Yulee FL

North Florida child left in car, mother charged

First Coast News
6:40 a.m. EDT July 9, 2014

NASSAU COUNTY -- A toddler was taken to the hospital Tuesday morning and treated for heat exhaustion after he was left inside a hot car. Now, his mother is facing child neglect charges.

Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said that the mother, identified as 25 year old Michelle King, left the child in a hot car in a subdivision off Chester Road.

Leeper said King dropped her husband off at work early Tuesday morning and brought three children along for the ride -- male and female 18-month-old twins and a 6-year-old boy. When King returned home, she allegedly forgot the male twin in the car and went back to sleep.

The 6-year-old eventually went to the car around 10:30 a.m. to get something and found the young child inside. The 6-year-old told the mother and she called 911, according to Leeper.

The twin boy was taken to UF Health with a 103 degree temperature and treated for heat exhaustion. He is now in stable condition, Leeper said.

DCF is also looking into the matter.

"We are investigating and we're working with law enforcement to gather additional information," Harrell told First Coast News. "There's so many questions we have right now."

King has been charged with child neglect.

15 children in the U.S. have already died this year due to car-related heat strokes. Statistics show 606 children have died due to vehicular heat strokes from 1998- 2013.

"About 52 percent are being left by accident, meaning they're forgotten, a parent that thinks that they've gotten the child out of the car," said Jessica Winberry, Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Winberry is a community health educator with Wolfson Children's Hospital and says parents forgetting their kids in the car is a year-round problem.

"We do see more deaths in these hotter months but don't be lulled into the idea that it can't happen in cooler months we do see our first deaths happening in 70 degree weather," added Winberry.

Children overheat 3 to 5 times faster than adults and by the time the body reaches 107 degrees, organs start shutting down.

"Your child should never be left alone in the car not even for a minute. What you think may be a minute may turn into 5, may turn into 10 ,may turn into longer, so the goal is never ever leave your child alone," added Winberry.

http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/07/09/north-florida-child-left-in-car-mother-charged/12396309/

How do you forget ONE twin?